Photo : CollectedDHAKA, Dec 29, 2025 (BSS) - Health officials today said they recorded 111 fresh cases of dengue onslaughts in the past 24 hours. "We recorded 111 fresh cases of dengue onslaughts in 24 hours ending at 8 am today," a spokesman of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said. "Out of the 111 fresh cases, six were hospitalised in Barishal division, 27 in Chattogram division, eight in Dhaka division excluding capital, 10 in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and 39 in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) areas, six in Khulna division, one in Mymensingh division and 14 in Rajshahi division, a Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) statement said. Since the start of the dengue onslaughts Bangladesh this year witnessed so far 412 deaths while the disease inflicted 102,673. The dengue last year claimed 575 lives and inflicted 1,01,214 people in the country.

Financial strain and food insecurity are the strongest drivers of accelerated heart aging, researchers reported in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The heart aging associated with money and food worries is similar to that caused by conventional risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure and prior heart attack, researchers concluded. This aging increases people’s risk for heart disease and heart-related death, researchers said. Researchers concluded that social factors like financial strain, housing and lack of exercise can be used to predict a person’s risk of heart-related death, matching or surpassing conventional risk factors. SOURCE: Mayo Clinic, news release, Dec. 18, 2025What This Means For YouPeople should be aware that money worries could be aging their heart, increasing their risk of death.

A human chain organized by traders at the capital’s Karwan Bazar against alleged extortion by expelled Jubo Dal leader Abdur Rahman came under attack on Monday, triggering clashes and counter-chases between the two sides. The incident occurred around noon in the wholesale raw materials area adjacent to Karwan Bazar, creating tension in the locality. Complaints were lodged with the local police station and an army camp, and it was collectively decided to organize a human chain. He alleged that supporters of Abdur Rahman attacked the demonstration in the morning with sticks. Didar, a poultry trader at Karwan Bazar, told Dhaka Tribune that it is impossible to conduct business in the market without paying extortion money.

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DHAKA, Dec 29, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Bank (BB) has issued a new circular revising the usance periods for the import of industrial raw materials and agricultural inputs, aimed at streamlining import transactions. According to a BB circular issued today, the usance period for these imports has been set at up to 270 days or the cash conversion cycle, whichever is earlier. This move follows previous instructions where the usance period—specifically for industrial raw materials, back-to-back imports, agricultural implements, and chemical fertilizers under suppliers’ or buyers’ credit—was permitted for up to 360 days until December 31, 2025. For back-to-back letters of credit, the central bank stipulated that the usance period must be determined in alignment with the statutory export proceeds repatriation period. However, the central bank clarified that this extended usance facility remains inapplicable to imports financed under the Export Development Fund (EDF).

According to EC sources, postal ballots were sent yesterday to 37,612 expatriate voters in various countries. Earlier, on Friday, postal ballots were sent to 57,360 expatriate voters worldwide, with the highest number-22,000-going to Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, the EC sent 10,999 postal ballots to the United Arab Emirates, 3,500 to the United Kingdom, 900 to Kuwait and 17,500 to Saudi Arabia. In total, 376,309 postal ballots have been dispatched worldwide over the last 10 days, EC officials said. Saudi Arabia received the highest number of postal ballots, with 122,393 expatriate Bangladeshi voters sent ballot papers.

For the fourth consecutive day, activists from the cultural organization Inqilab Mancha have blockaded Shahbagh, demanding the arrest and swift trial of those involved in the murder of the organization's spokesperson, Sharif Osman Hadi. On Monday around 2pm, they gathered beneath the July Monument at Shahbagh intersection to participate in their pre-announced program. Around 2:20pm, they blocked Shahbagh intersection. With the intersection closed, traffic came to a standstill on all surrounding roads. On Sunday night, they ended their blockade after presenting four demands:

Photo: BSSBAGERHAT, Dec 29, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) has intensified security patrols in the Sundarbans and southwestern coastal areas ahead of the upcoming 13th national parliament elections. Joint operations with the Navy, Police, RAB, and other agencies continue to enhance coastal security, tourist safety, and public confidence in the region. He continued that the coast guard continues to play a vital role in maintaining law and order, preventing smuggling, conserving forest and fisheries resources, and providing humanitarian assistance. Islam said from January to December 2025, Coast Guard operations led to the recovery of 38 firearms, 2 hand bombs, 74 indigenous weapons, 448 rounds of ammunition, and the rescue of 52 hostages. The coast guard also provided medical services to over 2,000 coastal residents and distributed winter clothes to 500 needy people.

NEW DELHI, Dec 29, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - India's navy boasts aircraft carriers, submarines, warships and frontline vessels of steel, as it spreads its maritime power worldwide. "We are not only retracing ancient pathways of trade, navigation, and cultural exchange, but also reaffirming India's position as a natural maritime bridge across the Indian Ocean." "It is of deep strategic and cultural significance to our nation as we aim to resurrect and revive ancient Indian maritime concepts and capabilities in all their forms." The ship's 18-strong crew has already sailed north along India's palm-fringed coast, up from Karnataka to Gujarat. "The monsoon winds that once guided traditional ships between our ports also carried a shared understanding that prosperity grows when we remain connected, open and cooperative."

Kremlin agrees with Trump that Ukraine talks in their final stageMOSCOW, Dec 29, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The Kremlin on Monday said it agreed with US President Donald Trump that talks to end the Ukraine war were in their final stage. Asked by journalists if Moscow agreed with Trump's assessment following his talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Of course".

Bangladesh’s foreign loan and grant disbursements have risen by 26 per cent year-on-year in the first five months of the fiscal year 2025-26. The current fiscal year, however, began with a surge in growth, which is now somewhat slowing. In the ongoing fiscal year so far, foreign assistance amounting to $1.22 billion has been committed. The government repaid $1.89 billion of its dues to financing institutions in the five months of the current fiscal year. In the first five months of the previous fiscal year, $1.71 billion was repaid in principal and interest.

KYIV, Ukraine, Dec 29, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Ukraine's President VolodymyrZelensky said Monday that Russia's strikes on Ukraine and Vladimir Putin'sdomestic messaging on the war do not correspond to his "peaceful rhetoric" toUS leader Donald Trump. "On the one hand, he tells the president of the United States that he wantsto end the war and that this is his desire," Zelensky told journalists. "And on the other hand, he openly communicates in the media all his messagesabout being ready and wanting to continue the war -- he strikes us withmissiles, openly talks about it, celebrates the destruction of civilianinfrastructure, gives instructions to his generals about where to advance andwhat to seize, and so on." Zelensky added: "In my view, these actions do not correspond to thesupposedly peaceful rhetoric that he uses in dialogues with the president ofthe United States."

Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain today spoke as the chief guest at the Rangpur District Workshop-2025. Photo : BSSRANGPUR, Dec 29, 2025 (BSS) – Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain today said that achieving the country’s desired development is not possible without an atmosphere of communal harmony. The workshop was organised by the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust under the Temple-Based Children and Mass Education Activities (6th Phase) project. Under the project, 7,400 temple-based education centres, including 149 in Rangpur, are being operated across the country. Of these, 5,000 are pre-primary centres, 1,400 adult religious education centres and 1,000 children’s religious education centres.

Adviser Farida Akhter today spoke as the chief guest at a de-briefing workshop following participation in the UN Climate Conference 2025. She made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a de-briefing workshop following participation in the UN Climate Conference 2025 (Conference of the Parties -COP 30), said a ministry press release. The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock at the Cotton Development Board this morning. Farida Akhter said that Bangladesh receives significantly more attention and importance in international forums when represented by top leadership, which is not possible with lower-level representation. She stressed that such participation is vital to present the country’s climate challenges, priorities, and achievements effectively.

After more than one and a half decades, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman visited the party’s central office at Nayapaltan on Monday. However, due to the presence of a large number of party leaders and activists, it took until around 4pm for him to enter the central office. Senior BNP leaders welcomed Tarique Rahman at the entrance, as leaders and activists chanted slogans in his honour. Ahead of his arrival, party leaders and supporters began gathering at the Nayapaltan office from noon, displaying banners and festoons bearing images of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, former prime minister Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. Security was tightened in and around the party office to prevent any untoward incident.